The battle over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal has reached the doors of the Supreme Court. Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, has launched a blistering attack on the Mamata Banerjee government, alleging a deliberate violation of Election Commission (ECI) guidelines in appointing Electoral Registration Officers (EROs).

Adhikari’s Allegations: Speaking to reporters on Monday, Adhikari claimed that while the ECI demanded 294 Grade-A IAS and WBCS officers, the state provided only 225, many of whom are from Category B and C. “This is a direct violation of the rules. Why the rush to appoint junior officers?” he questioned. He also criticized the government for failing to provide 1,000 data operators, comparing it with Bihar’s proactive approach.

Supreme Court’s Intervention: In a significant development, the Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant extended the deadline for publishing the final voter list by one week. More importantly, the court issued a show-cause notice to the West Bengal DGP over allegations of violence during the revision process. The court has directed the state to submit a pool of 8,505 officers by Tuesday 5 PM, allowing the ECI to vet and appoint micro-observers independently. This move aims to ensure transparency and prevent any manipulation of the electoral rolls before the upcoming polls.